Dawn broke over the eastern mountains as I stood in my private study, maps and ancient scrolls spread across every surface. Sleep had eluded me since the Star-Sailor's visit three days ago. Each time I closed my eyes, cosmic visions flooded my mind—stars connected by threads of light, worlds resonating in harmony, and that terrible darkness spreading between galaxies like ink in water.
"Your Majesty?" Duke Theron Thorne's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "The scholars have arrived with the artifacts."
I rubbed my eyes, feeling the weight of my crown even though it rested on a cushion nearby. "Send them in. And Theron, we've known each other since childhood. When we're alone, please... just call me Evander."
He offered a rare smile. "Old habits. The fate of the cosmos has made formality seem rather trivial, hasn't it?"
